Dingy Skipper
Erynnis tages
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Ian Boyd, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Overview
The Dingy Skipper is a small, brown butterfly with distinctive white-spotted forewings and a robust, moth-like appearance that distinguishes it from other skippers. This species plays a crucial ecological role as both a pollinator of wildflowers and as part of grassland food webs, with its caterpillars feeding exclusively on bird's-foot trefoil and other leguminous plants.
The Dingy Skipper has experienced severe population declines across much of its range due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized grassland habitats. Agricultural intensification, abandonment of traditional grazing practices, and urban development have eliminated or fragmented the flower-rich grasslands and scrubland edges this species requires for breeding and feeding.
Habitat
Dingy Skippers inhabit chalk downs, limestone grasslands, coastal dunes, and railway embankments where bird's-foot trefoil grows abundantly. They require a mosaic of short, grazed turf for egg-laying and longer grass areas that provide shelter and nectar sources.
Other threatened species in Hesperiidae
Frequently asked questions
Why is Dingy Skipper classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Dingy Skipper live?
What are the main threats to Dingy Skipper?
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